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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. suit — clothes
  4. swing — music
  5. ground — a position
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ground — crushed
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ground — the earth
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. track — a song
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. court — of law
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. track — a path
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com